Attribution Theory or why Media Elites don’t like Bernie Sanders

Right after the Democratic debate Ryan Lizza tweeted “Hillary Clinton won because all of her opponents are terrible.” Other pundits were every bit as hyperbolic as the New Yorker‘s snarky reporter. The Boston Globedeclared “Hillary Clinton roars, Bernie Sanders stumbles“. Politicoinsisted “Clinton towers, Sanders glowers.”

Clinton reminded the Washington Post‘s Eugene Robinson of “Lebron James playing a pickup basketball game.” For the same newspaper, Dana Millbank called Clinton a “woman among boys“. Vox’s Matt Yglesias wrote Clinton was not debating “first-rate competition”.

The encomiums for Clinton and disparagement of Sanders came as instant online surveys and focus groups were saying Bernie won big and before the release of reliable polls showing the opposite. In fact, most watchers emerged from the debate with an enhanced respect for Sanders and his poll numbers did rise in NBC’s post-debate poll just not as much as Clinton’s did. Yes debate watchers preferred Clinton but they did not scorn Sanders.

What accounts for the big disconnect between the professional media class and home viewers? Certainly, the fact that the Clintons have been reliably pro-big media since Bill approved significant media deregulation in the 90s plays a part. Likewise, Sanders’ call for much higher taxes on the wealthy cannot be welcome in the rarefied air breathed by billionaire libertarian Jeff Bezos who owns the Washington Post, Politico’s 40-something multi-millionaire owner Robert Allbritton, or the suits at Time Warner/CNN. Reporters and editors know the kind of coverage their bosses want and are eager to provide it.

But I think something more than servility to corporate masters explains the gloating tone Lizza, et al., employed against Sanders in the aftermath of the Silver State showdown. Yglesias mostly freelances and his boss at Vox, the relatively progressive Ezra Klein, certainly doesn’t fit the casino capitalist mold even if Bezos and Allbritton do. The real problem for Sanders is his core message – the “economy is rigged” – does not and, to a large degree, cannot appeal to media elites.

Men like Ryan Lizza, Eugene Robinson, Dana Millbank, Matthew Yglesias are achievers. They have climbed atop the incredibly steep and slippery journalistic mountain. Obviously, they have talent, smarts, and assertiveness but they also benefited, with the possible exception of Robinson, from growing up in upper middle-class or affluent homes. Lizza and Yglesias attended elite private high schools and then matriculated at the University of California and Harvard respectively. Milbank graduated from Yale and Robinson from the University of Michigan. Lizza and Yglesias are still in their 30s.

Attribution theory posits that people explain or attribute good things that happen to them to their sterling character and intellect. Likewise, they attribute bad results to external factors over which they have little control. Top dogs are congenitally disposed to believe that they lead the pack because of speed, strength, and toughness not because they began the race way ahead.

When Sanders says the game is “rigged”. He is telling poor and struggling folks what they already know or feel in their marrow. They and their children are very unlikely to escape their straitened circumstances no matter how hard they work. Only the remarkably skilled and fortunate are likely to escape poverty in America today. But he is also telling those at the top of the ladder that they have benefited from an absence of competition from those who were not born on or near the upper rungs.

In essence, Sanders is saying to the thought leaders, “you didn’t build that” wildly successful career you’re basking in on your own. You don’t write for the New Yorker (Lizza) or the Washington Post (Milbank and Robinson), you don’t have a wildly successful blog (Yglesias) just because you’re smart and shrewd and have a way with a phrase. You also benefited from some or all of the following: an affluent background, good genes, a great education, and a heaping measure of good luck. It should surprise nobody that the smartest guys in the room recoil from the man who delivers that cold wet douse of reality.

Is there anybody, even amongst us Democrats, that doubts there was information on HRC’s server that if released, would cost her the election? Hillary would have had no need to go to the extra effort of using a private server if she had not been concerned that her emails might ultimately get leaked. Hillary obviously knew in advance of their creation that such emails would exist.

I read that the FBI is currently being possessive & not leaking much extraneous info from HRC’s server. However, I suspect that some in the Obama administration (as well as many Republicans) are already in a position to know how serious HRC’s email scandal (&/or any eventual leaks) could ultimately be. If Biden now runs, I suspect it will be because the administration knows the scandal will likely become increasingly serious and because of Biden’s sense of duty. In addition, if Biden runs, look for email releases/leaks (as necessary) to occur early enough to ensure HRC doesn’t get the nomination.

Unfortunately, I don’t think we will see Dems within the administration leaking or releasing damaging info from HRC’s server early just to take HRC down unless there is a viable option to Bernie then receiving the nomination. The entrenched powers in the Democratic party don’t want to see Bernie win and they are likely to instead take their chances with HRC. If Biden holds back, we Progressives will just have to hope that any information leaked later doesn’t damage HRC too much during general election. I for one am not holding my breath.

Unfortunately, although acceptable to the Democratic powers that be (and to Progressives as the lesser evil), I don’t think Biden is electable. Although the man is a decent sort, he has a serious case of foot-in-mouth disease.

It is therefore my take that if Bernie continues to be too nice to take HRC down himself, he shows us he does not have the intestinal fortitude it takes to serve as President. If Bernie doesn’t reconsider &/or if Biden doesn’t now step up to the plate, it will fall upon O’Malley and his supporters to bring up HRC’s misdeeds and if possible, obtain and disseminate any damaging information they can get their hands on. While Bernie is still my favorite candidate, if he doesn’t change tack soon, he proves he doesn’t have what it takes to win and O’Malley becomes the most electable alternative.

Here are my primary concerns about HRC. HRC’s server was not only illegal before the end of her service, but it was insecurely configured in a very amateurish way. The server was unnecessarily running software that was meant to allow other Intranet networked computers (behind a firewall) to access & control its contents. Unfortunately, this “feature” was improperly connected directly to the Internet, thus potentially allowing any web connected computer the possibility of accessing and controlling the server & its contents. There was also unmonitored Internet website hosting software running that Hillary didn’t need or use and no encryption, and this too left pathways that hackers could use to compromise the server. In addition, at various times there were backup “cloud” copies made of HRC’s server – only some of which the FBI has been able to track down. Some of these copies are still in private hands and are likely to be at least partially recoverable. You can bet there are some motivated Republican geeks out there that will now search for this data and try to recover whatever embarrassing information might still exist. We already know that many Republicans have no compunction about outing state secrets for their personal gain. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone eventually Wikileaks the entire contents of HRC’s server – likely just weeks before the general election.

So here is the bottom line. In my eyes, HRC is quite possibly politically a dead man walking. Either HRC is in denial about the damage these emails might cause or she is insufficiently altruistic to bow out of the election without help – hoping against hope that the worst won’t come out. So the challenge for us Dems is to take action to take HRC out now. Bernie failed to take his best opportunity because he is just too “nice” (translate: soft, remember he is a conscientious objector). What Bernie doesn’t understand is that if we fail to act now, Republicans will act when it is most to their advantage – during the general election – after it is too late for Dems to recover and field another viable candidate. Somebody now, be it Bernie, Biden, O’Malley, or even HRC herself had better quickly recognize the situation and address it. Playing nice now as Bernie did ultimately may cost Dems the Presidential election, both houses of congress, and the courts.

Shade – I think you’re reading more into HRC’s decision to use a private address and server and not to preserve the emails at State. I think she’s a technophobe with little or no idea what she was doing. She may have told her advisors that she wanted to keep her old address since changing would be tough and they checked the rule and said it was okay. The “nuances”, like preserving the emails at State rather than on her private server, quite likely were beyond her limited ability to comprehend this new-fangled technology.

I agree that Bernie should have been a less definitive in taking the emails off the table but he may not really understand the issue that well either. Both are at an age when new tech and languages are very difficult.

Bottom-line: I’m far less confident than you are that there are some smoking guns on Clinton’s email server.

What I’ll grant you is that HRC probably does not know what remains on the server (& its backups) for the FBI to recover & how much damage this might cause. I’m not so convinced that at least principle she didn’t know that DOS official business email belongs on secure servers the DOS has securely set up and approved. HRC is probably about your mother’s age, do you really think your mother would have been so stupid as to not at least bring in government pros to do the job? It took a lot of gall for HRC to think she could go around DOS IT security experts and have a private third party set up and maintain a server for her official DOS use. Worse, the people she choose to do the job were clearly amateurs. To me HRC demonstrated she is as flawed and paranoid as Nixon, though likely for good cause.

The private server problem wasn’t HRC’s fault alone though – the situation is an indictment on the entire Obama administration. Every time an email was received from or to the domain clintonmail.com, DOS personnel were slapped in the face with this issue. Many obviously knew all about both HRC’s server and her Blackberry (Obama received special dispensation for his Blackberry). Worse, at the very same time HRC was using her private server, others DOS officials were reprimanded or lost their job for doing the same thing.

Regardless of what HRC knew about the suitability of her server, she brought on her current email problems herself by mixing her personal and DOS email. Now due to this error in judgement, both her personal & DOS emails are in the hands of the FBI (and likely others). Some of these hands are certainly unfriendly, which is the very thing HRC was obviously trying to avoid. Unlike you, I think it can be just about guaranteed that there will be plenty on that server that (if carefully sifted) will do HRC significant harm. Some of the emails might merely be embarrassing, but I have no doubt that others will point to illegal “Clintonesque” activities and lies that she and the administration have told – in addition to conflicts of interest and fundraising irregularities. In my opinion, if you have heard whispers about it, the Clintons are probably guilty (as are many other successful politicians).

Unfortunately for HRC, her misdeeds are now likely to be outed at an inopportune time. I’d be willing to bet that there are some Republican operatives out there that even now are still laughing so hard at us naive Dems for not pursuing the issue during the debates that they are peeing their pants. HRC has got to go in my opinion – unless she releases ALL her personal emails (which I think she knows she dare not do). The current existence of her emails in the hands of third parties and the FBI and (and thus many Democratic enemies) represents too great a risk – not only to HRC, but to our success in the 2016 election altogether.

Subscribe to my posts

Talk Back

Name:

Email:

For:

Email address will not be published(but it's required)

( Sending... )

For once, Trump said something that bears a tiny semblance to truth. Specifically, re wildland mismanagement. Aggressive thinning needs to occur. Enviros need to back off, else over the next few decades we are

(Monday, Nov 12. 2018 05:35 AM)

on course to lose much of r woodlands & the wildlife we all want2 protect. Due to accumulated fuel loads resultant from over-aggressive fire suppression combined w/climate change, today’s fires dont just clear underbrush, they burn everything from mature tree crowns down to the soil, which is sterilized & then washes away to silt waterways. DiFi prev worked on a bi-partisan solution, see: http://tinyurl.com/Herger-DiFi-Quincy-Library-Grp

Recent criminal justice bail bond reforms are being distorted by powerful interests towards a new Jim Crow system of private, 4profit, mass e-carceration. In CA Oct 2019, it appears a presumption of e-detention will

(Sunday, Nov 11. 2018 12:37 PM)

replace what was hoped 2b more freq release on 1’s own recognizance. CPU algorithms based on factors highly correlated w/ race/class will determine who remains caged. Those found release elig will likely be forced2 lease from a private corp a $300/mo GPS unit shackled to their ankle & w/permitted movement zones that may make it imposs 2 work, attend school, care4 kids, or visit family. http://tinyurl.com/newest-jim-crow

Judge Brett Kavanaugh lied about the SeaWorld case during his Senate confirmation testimony last week in order to justify his disrespect for the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

(Monday, Sep 24. 2018 04:18 AM)

Kavanaugh can do one good thing for us; let’s hope his nomination hangs on & thus forces the SCOTUS appt after the elections. https://tinyurl.com/kavagaugh-lies
(Self-extracting link above shows full post.)

U.S. is denying passports to Americans along the border, throwing their citizenship into question.

(Friday, Aug 31. 2018 04:45 AM)

Worse, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers & entered into deportation proceedings. Others are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked after trying to reenter the United States. It’s getting close to time that we can legitimately start comparing the Trump admin to the Nazis. https://tinyurl.com/y9ur35p8

In China, Google has explored launching a new, special search engine that would meet the demands of the country’s strict Internet censors. Meanwhile, in the US, regulators/users increasingly demand Silicon Valley apply a heavier hand in moderating onlin

(Wednesday, Aug 29. 2018 03:19 AM)

2prevent harassment, stop hate speech & ensure civil political discourse. Now down the slippery slope goes Trump right into the totalitarian rabbit hole. T today accused Google of being “RIGGED” against him because the “search results for ‘Trump News’” show mostly “BAD” coverage about him from “Fake News Media.” And Larry Kudlow, National Economic Council director, said the T admin is “taking a look” at whether Google should be regulated. That’s not fake news, it’s scary news. http://tinyurl.com/ybctd59s

Correction: For fossil-fueled plants, CO2 release is reduced <40%, not <50%. System best described as a waste heat concentrator that then drives a turbine & generates electricity. The technique utilizes OFF-THE-SHELF proven tech. Initially, wast

(Sunday, Aug 12. 2018 01:28 PM)

would otherwise be released to the enviro is used 2drive a turbine that pressurizes air. This air is then stored underground @ ambient temps (either in an exhausted gas/oil field or in other common geologic formations). During /peak demand/ electric load periods, this air is piped 2where it is warmed by waste heat from the plant-s current operations. This increases the air-s energy density 2where it is sufficient 2operate a turbine & electric generator. Net result is that what was once considered waste heat pollution that costs money to dispose of can now generate electricity.

what has traditionally been unusable/polluting waste heat as pressurized air. This air later operates efficient modified turbines. 2X plant efficiency poss during peak periods. For fossil-fueled plants, CO2 reduced <50%. Pressurized air can also time-shift electric output from renewables. Dr Bill not alone: http://goo.gl/dCuvqh As for marquee claim, pressurized air can prevent nuke meltdowns by serving as alt coolant during critical 1st 72hrs w/o H2O. http://goo.gl/b1DCV9 While some radiation would be discharged in air, idea better than a meltdown.

T admin now wants to make it harder for legal immigrants to become US Citzns. Under a recent proposal, legal immigrants wouldnt be allowed to obtain citizenship or green cards if they’ve ever used the social programs many working-class ppl use at so

(Wednesday, Aug 8. 2018 04:30 AM)

like the ACA (Obamacare), Children’s Health Insurance, or foodstamps. Proposal won’t require congressional approval. As the Clinton admin did in 1999, T admin would redefine the term /public charge/, a feature of immigration law since 1800s. More than 20M immigrants would thus be prevented from ever voting. Immigration attys r planning2 push back in the courts, but Repubs r packing the courts too, so… https://goo.gl/6mSW1H

Earlier this wk, a Koch brothers-sponsored study shared widely w/corporate media tried2 scare ppl into thinking Medicare-for-all would be too expensive for our country. But what the study did was show that Medicare-for-all would actually save the American

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 11:34 PM)

people $2T over 10yrs. And it would do so while providing hlth care for 30M Americans who dont have it today & eliminating premiums/deductibles/co-pymts to private hlth ins companies. Sounds like a good deal to me. So I want to thank the Koch brothers. I do not think their study had its intended effect. s/Bernie Sanders. http://goo.gl/y9ChnC (In fairness, Bernie forgets2 mention the premiums/deductibles/co-pymts to Medicare/Medigap ins/PrescriptionDrugPlans. Medicare isn’t free 2 most end users but would cost less & improve results.

KSCO did a tribute show today from 10-noon w/guests & callers. According to Dr Eric Wattenburg, Bill’s son, one of Dr Bill’s last deathbed actions was2 successfully obtain a patent 4a method to quench out-of-control nuke reactors. I would

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 02:49 PM)

Dr Bill had. Dr Bill had a knack4 applying practical seat-of-the-pants knowledge he learned growing up on farms & in the woods with complex scientific principles. While I agree it appears there is no way to operate current gen nuke reactors safely, I am confident that over time scientists will find safe ways to contain/utilize this power. I also feel that mankind cannot ignore such a lrg source of electric energy generation – energy that may well be nec to tap in order to counter the wheels of climatic change already placed irreversibly into motion. http://184.105.148.154:8000/live

I’m listening to a tribute show KSCO is doing today from 10-noon with guests & callers. According to Dr Eric Wattenburg, Bill’s son, one of Dr Bill’s last deathbed actions was to successfully obtain a patent for a method to quench o

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 02:41 PM)

Dr Bill had. Dr Bill had a knack4 applying practical seat-of-the-pants knowledge he learned growing up on farms & in the woods w/complex scientific principles. While I agree it appears there is no way to operate current gen nuke reactors safely, I am confident that over time scientists will find safe ways to contain/utilize this power. I also feel that mankind cannot ignore such a lrg source of electric energy generation — energy that may well be nec to tap in order to counter the wheels of climatic change already placed irreversibly into motion. http://184.105.148.154:8000/live

Dr Bill Wattenburg, KGO radio talk host & scientist, passed away Thurs at age 82 due to complications of cancer. Dr Bill was a fixture on KGO from 1975-2011. I have missed Dr Bill’s input in recent yrs. I always held high respect for his scientific knowledge & his scientifically-based ideas. However, when it came to politics, his attitudes were sometimes abysmal & towards people that didn’t worship at his feet, he had a nasty mean streak. https://goo.gl/d98JUF

Did Trump Meet With His Counterpart — Or His Handler? A plausible theory of mind-boggling collusion. By Jonathan Chait @ nymag.com. That the GRU & Putin would have in the past behaved badly… well that is no more surprising

(Sunday, Jul 22. 2018 09:56 PM)

than the known past behavior of our own spooks/leaders. But that doesnt mean we cant now get along & work towards mutual betterment. I believe common ground w/RU is as poss as w/China & Europe. In that 1 very specific respect, I think Trump’s thinking is correct. Our biggest prob isnt the Russians, but the fact that our politicians are under the influence of corrupt money from foreign/corporate/mob/oligarchs. We should inoculate ourselves w/better cybersecurity, public campaign financing, & verifiable paper ballots — not by alienating RU. https://goo.gl/FGTHH7

Hope KKSF succedes so as2 better inform SF commuters. However, they have weak signal here & no local/state content except4 NBC news on hr. They also rerun same 4 shows 24/7. PBC says he contacted them but learned they have no

(Saturday, Jul 21. 2018 08:11 PM)

budget4 local talent. KGO however moving back 2roots taking more calls. This forces content from cheesy dribble 2 current & even local. And if Jack Swanson comes back as PD, PBC hopeful he & others might get gigs. R country has lost its way w/greedy corporate raiders that load formerly honorable/viable business w/unmanageable debt. The raiders then micromanage massive cuts trying2 maximize profit, but they r so incompetent that they cant even retain previous profits. Laws need to change.

Archives

Categories

Meta

ORMoCo Calendar

Name:

Email:

For:

Email address will not be published(but it's required)

( Sending... )

For once, Trump said something that bears a tiny semblance to truth. Specifically, re wildland mismanagement. Aggressive thinning needs to occur. Enviros need to back off, else over the next few decades we are

(Monday, Nov 12. 2018 05:35 AM)

on course to lose much of r woodlands & the wildlife we all want2 protect. Due to accumulated fuel loads resultant from over-aggressive fire suppression combined w/climate change, today’s fires dont just clear underbrush, they burn everything from mature tree crowns down to the soil, which is sterilized & then washes away to silt waterways. DiFi prev worked on a bi-partisan solution, see: http://tinyurl.com/Herger-DiFi-Quincy-Library-Grp

Recent criminal justice bail bond reforms are being distorted by powerful interests towards a new Jim Crow system of private, 4profit, mass e-carceration. In CA Oct 2019, it appears a presumption of e-detention will

(Sunday, Nov 11. 2018 12:37 PM)

replace what was hoped 2b more freq release on 1’s own recognizance. CPU algorithms based on factors highly correlated w/ race/class will determine who remains caged. Those found release elig will likely be forced2 lease from a private corp a $300/mo GPS unit shackled to their ankle & w/permitted movement zones that may make it imposs 2 work, attend school, care4 kids, or visit family. http://tinyurl.com/newest-jim-crow

Judge Brett Kavanaugh lied about the SeaWorld case during his Senate confirmation testimony last week in order to justify his disrespect for the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

(Monday, Sep 24. 2018 04:18 AM)

Kavanaugh can do one good thing for us; let’s hope his nomination hangs on & thus forces the SCOTUS appt after the elections. https://tinyurl.com/kavagaugh-lies
(Self-extracting link above shows full post.)

U.S. is denying passports to Americans along the border, throwing their citizenship into question.

(Friday, Aug 31. 2018 04:45 AM)

Worse, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers & entered into deportation proceedings. Others are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked after trying to reenter the United States. It’s getting close to time that we can legitimately start comparing the Trump admin to the Nazis. https://tinyurl.com/y9ur35p8